Solaris
by Roringugaru
Summary: Tarshim is a terrible place...full of those filled with anger and hatred. I'm glad I left. Although I guess I could have thought of a better escape plan. If it wasn't for Numair and Daine I would have been dead by now... but I'm glad I get a second chance...
1. Chapter 1

**I love Tamora pierces stories, my favorite I guess you know by now is the immortals series. ^^. I will keep this brief; this is an alternate reality story…or rather it's a continuation of where the immortals series left off…before the other books came out. ok hopefully that makes sense and I hope you enjoy this story.**

Prologue

"Halt you little brat!" today is the day; I don't care what will happen afterwards. Anything is better than staying here! My chest hurts but no matter how much it hurts I have to keep going! There's a cliff! Fine by me! I run faster, "Stop you'll die!"

That's what you think! My mind imagines a seagull flying over the sea and I jump. My ragged clothes become more loose as I becomes smaller; my body continues to shrink as I feel a beak form on my face. My wings spread in my new form as I make my escape over the sea.

Spell 1: A girl and her kit

I don't know how long I've been flying like this; it must have been at least a day. I can't…please someone…help. my mind begins to drift as my body reverts to my original human form. A song…? Some sort of call from below… I've never heard that kind before. It sounds like some sort of wailing…

I land on something rubbery but it feels like skin. I turn my aching body over and sit up. A…blue whale?

"Rest sweet child; I shall carry you to shore." Her voice in my head sounds sweet and soft. Soon others join her side, greeting me in a kind tone.

"Who are you?" I ask the one who saved me,

"You may call me Mother Blue. What is it you are called?" I check my neck to see if the claw with my name is still entangled around. Yes…it made it with me…the only proof that I have a name… I turn the claw over and spot my name…

"It is…Solaris." I smile tiredly at the claw.

"Solaris…you are among friends; rest now. we shall take you to land."

"Thank you Mother Blue." I lay down; even though the wind is bitter on my bare skin I still manage to fall asleep.

…

"Solaris." Mother Blue's sweet voice awakens me quietly

"Yes?" I'm afraid we cannot take you any closer to land; we would run the risk of becoming stuck." I look up and spot a beach the water splashing on the rocks. I slide off of her back and begin swimming for shore; soon my feet touch the ground of moving sand and finally make it out of the water. Remembering I have no clothes the wind makes me shiver almost convulse.

"There is a human civilization close to here; you shall find friends there who can help you."

"Thank you Mother Blue…I hope you and I meet again." I wave goodbye to my new friends as they disappear under the blue ocean. Now how do I get out of this beach? There seems to be a path way over there… I head over there and climb out. My bare body convulses again at yet another burst of wind.

"Help!" what was…I don't see anyone and that was in my mind, "Please someone help!" it sounds like a child's voice.

"Where are you?" I reach out with my mind.

"Please help me; I'm stuck!" as I walk around I try to keep whoever it is under control and calm. There's little yelps coming from a small hole. Did they fall down there?

"Are you in the hole?"

"Here! I'm here!" as I peek into the hole; something white stares up at me with pleading yellow eyes. I stick my hand down and try to reach; my hand makes contact with something furry and grab it. slowly, I pull out a cute, little, white fox maybe only about ten weeks old at most. Dirty from the dirt he sneezes three times to get his air ways clean. His ears feet and bushy tail are painted black along with his nose.

"How long have you been down there?" I ask as I wipe away what dirt I can from his body.

"Two days…I-I got stuck when I was running from the spidrens." Spidrens…some of the soldiers I've seen came back home with their heads and some body parts as trophies, "They…they got my family…my mom and dad and siblings…they're…" the little kit nestles in between my legs seeking comfort; my arms wrap around the little fox and I stroke his fur. "It was awful; all I could do was run."

"It's ok…you're ordeal is over. You can come with me if you like." The little kit looks up at me perplexed about my offer. "I mean it; after all we're both alone; why don't we stick together?" his ears perk up,

"Really…you mean it?" his tail swishes back and forth. My head nods; he reaches up and licks my check. It tickles; as I continue to talk with him I find out his name: Tao.

"I'm Solaris…Tao I promise I won't abandon you. You don't have to worry anymore." He nestles against me as I stroke him. My body shivers again in the burst of cold.

"It's autumn Solaris; why don't you have any fur to protect yourself?"

"I…lost it on my way here; I didn't really have a choice." Some sort of strange sound interrupts us; a shadow looms over us both.

"S-solaris!" I turn to see three giant spidrens staring at us, their appetites wet for fresh meat. I pick Tao up and stand. My feet take me backwards as I try to think of a way out of this,

"It's that little white thing from before…and look it's found a human."

"Oh…what a suprise."

"Stay back." I warn. They hiss at the dark copper (almost as if it was mixed with black) sparks form around my hand. Along with changing into any animal, I can do more magic. They hiss as they take a step back. Please don't call my bluff…I'm still tired I don't know if I can fight off one of them. The leader steps forward as I take a step back. A smile curves over the females lips showing her sharp teeth.

"The little human is mine!" my legs move me out of the way of her attack. Squishing sounds as they try to trap me in their webbing. I keep running trying to find some place to hide or a way to lose them. One nearly catches me as their appendages aggressively combs through my hair. Please someone, anyone, I need help! My feet entangle with each other and I fling Tao into the air falling to the ground.

"Keep going Tao!" he looks back only for a second before he runs off. My attention goes back to the spidrens crowding around me. "Keep away!" the blackened copper sparks in my hands create a barrier of fire; the spidrens back away. The fires only last a few seconds before they disappear. I'm not strong enough; I can't defend myself! Please someone, I just got my freedom! The spidrens creep even closer; teeth looking as sharp as daggers. A pony sounds as it makes its way between me and the man eating monsters. Its hooves make contact with one of the spidrens faces; it goes down reeling in pain. An arrow wizzes passed another's check finally making them retreat. The pony chases after them for a moment before returning to inspect me.

"Are you alright young one?" paws make contact with my legs,

"Solaris you're ok!"  
"Tao…" I pick him up and hug him.

"I got help from some nice humans; one was able to understand me. There see?" I turn to see two adult figures come this way nut they're blurred. I feel so tired, my eye lids close as I fall over.

"Solaris! Hey Solaris! Wake up Solar…"


	2. Chapter 2

**After I started this story I wasn't able t put it down…I had to force myself to update the other stories using this one as a reward for doing so..lol. I'm so bad…anyway hope you enjoy chapter two.**

A Slave Girl's Past; Daine and Numair

I'm wrapped in warmth as I begin to wake up. A bed…a blanket? Wow, so this is how soft a bed feels; it's nice. Something fuzzy moves under the covers ruining my plans of falling back to sleep. Tao's head pops out from under the covers as he peers up at me. Something else catches my eye; someone gave me a rather very big shirt to wear for the time being. It doesn't seem to worn out; it's fitting to be worn as night clothes. The walls of the room are made of stones and to help keep the warmth in; there's a fire crackling on the other side of the room in the fireplace.

"Tao where are we?"

"I asked that lady; she said we're I a place called Pirate Swoop."

"Pirate Swoop…?" I breathe in deeply and let it out. I rub my eyes taking care of what ever sleep is left. There's a mirror near by I get up and use. The shirt reaches my knees; I'm only 11 so that's understandable. Big greyish blue eyes stare back into mine as I continue to look at myself. My curly hair messy and matted from lack of care retains its blackness as it reaches my lower back. As I continue to admire my reflection of the child I am I, I also admire the mirror itself. I've never seen one before; so this is what it's like to look at your self in the mirror. Tao watches me curiously from the bed as I continue to have fun with the mirror, at least until a sound emanating from my stomach interrupts me. Come to think of it, I haven't really eaten anything for the past couple of days. I wonder if I can find something to eat.

"Let's go find something to eat Tao."

"I already ate; the man was nice enough to give me something really tasty." A man…? "I'm sure he'd ok with giving you something Solaris." The little fox jumps down from the bed and waits for me to pick him up; which I do before placing him on my shoulder; which he seems to like. The door is pretty heavy but opens slowly as I pull on the handle. He jumps down from my shoulder and shows me the way stopping every so often to make sure I'm still behind him. We head down another hallway and reach outside. The morning air is colder than the afternoon but at least I'm covered now. Someone else is here, a very tall man. Although his hair is starting to fade to a few grays, the rest remains a nice shiny black. I wonder what he's looking at or for. Was he the one who gave me this shirt? He seems tall enough and the simple clothes he has on makes it seem like it is. Tao yips to try and get his attention but with the wind blowing so hard he has to move closer. Just as he prances over a crow swoops out of nowhere and starts clawing me.

"Ah! EEK!" my arms fling in every direction to make him stop. "Go away! Leave me alone!"

"My turf, my turf!" I'm not here to take your turf! There's a bright flash of light followed by the bird squawks of terror. Frantically it flies back to its perch and stares with beady eyes.

"No one was taking anything from you, you stupid bird!"

I scream. He hisses at me,

"My turf." Crazy bird… Tao paws at my feet asking me to pick him up again. I'm ok Tao."

"Is that your little friends name? He wouldn't tell me nor my wife." His brown eyes stare down at me kindly. I nod.

"I found him the day those spidrens attacked us; he was stuck in a hole." Tao kisses me with his wet tongue remembering how I came to his rescue. The tall man laughs at the sight

"He seems to be very fond of you." As I continue to inspect I notice a bundle of clothes in his hand. "Oh these; they belong to my wife. She'll be back shortly. I'm sure you're hungry but do you mind waiting with me for a moment?" I shake my head no and follow him back to his look out point. I have to stand on my tiptoes in order to see over the edge; even then I can't see that much better. I try to break the silence carried in the wind,

"Mister how come we're waiting for her? I mean where did she go?"

"To be honest, she went to look for your family." I blush at the thought, guilty to have to tell him,

"I'm sorry but it's going to be a waste of time; I…I don't have any family."

"No family? Well then where did you come from?" my teeth bite into the skin of my lower lip. I turn to the fox kit sitting in front of me and stroke him softly. "No matter, it's not urgent." Another bird calls grabbing our attention; scared that this one will attack me too I run behind my new tall friend with Tao following me. He chuckles, "It's alright this one isn't ill mannered." The hawk lands on the stone; still unsure I stay back as he walks forward and lays the clothes beside it. "Our guest has finally woken up; although she says your search would have ended with the same out come." The hawk looks back at me making me imagine its talons trying to claw my eyes,

"Don't even think about it." I warn. The man laughs again.

"Calm down she won't attack you." He turns back to the hawk, "Sweet perhaps you should ease her fears." The bird suddenly starts growing as its wings are replaced with arms and talons with toes. Soon a human woman, bare skinned at the moment, shows herself to be the bird. She's so pretty! Her curly brown locks frame her face perfectly and her slender eyes are brighter a brighter blue grey than mine. Mostly, because I haven't gotten as much sunlight as her. With her soft features I can tell why he married her. There's a noticeable age difference between them but still they're good together. She reaches down and starts dressing herself. After she turns to me.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm sorry you went looking for something you would never find…" she gives me a questionable look, " You went to look for my mama and papa…I have no family."

"I see…then how is it-"

"Magelet, why don't we let her eat something first then we can talk other matters." Silently she agrees and ushers me inside, "Now, my small friend, what is your name? We've yet to learn that." I clench the claw around my neck,

"It's Solaris." I beam.

"A very unusual yet pretty name; you can call me Numair." He turns to his wife, "and this is Daine."

…

The eggs and bread are gone in an instant but I take my time with the ham, savoring every bite of it. Honestly, this is my second plate of food and Miss Daine had to tell me to slow down before I choked more than once. I can't help it though; I've never eaten anything as good as this. My glass of milk goes as quickly as I finished the eggs and bread. If I eat any more I may burst. I let Tao lick the left overs on my plate enjoying what's left; after he finishes that he goes to licking my fingers for the taste of the ham.

"Now…Solaris why don't you start with where you came from and how you came to be here at Pirate Swoop."

"I'm…mgh…" my mouth clamps shut in defense for myself. If I tell them will they send me back to the Badlands, back to Tarshim? I'd be killed if they did. "Mm-mm." I shake my head.

"Can you at least tell us where you came from?" Numair asks a simpler question

"No…" again I shake my head.

"What can you tell us?" Daine asks trying to go about this in a different way.

"I'm not going back." it remains silent; Numair takes a deep breath and lets it out. My head kind of feels like someone is peaking into my memories. His hand enshrouded in black sparks gives away he's a mage. No! No! Don't look! I try to push him away.

"It's all right I'm only looking at recent memories from a few days ago. " huh? I let him back into my head and let him experience my escape and reason for escaping.

_A woman old and gangly looking appears in my thoughts, _

"_You stupid child! How dare you speak up in such a tone?" a cane smacks against my back in the image. I try to cover my head and curl into a ball as she continues to beat me senselessly _

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I keep repeating "I didn't know; I'm sorry!"_

The image fades back into darkness. My eyes fill with tears at the memory. "All I did was ask why I couldn't get a drink of water." He gets up and walks over.

"May I? I only want to inspect the damage." I stand shaking at the thought of what's there; I lift the shirt to show where the first blow was dealt. Even though I can't see it, the look on his face says it all: it's not good.

"Ow!" I cringe away from his slight touch on the bruise.

"My apologies." Despite the dull pain pulsing I don't cry, "You can put your shirt back down Solaris." Quickly I do so as he stands. He pats my head warmly, comforting my fast pacing heart, "You're safe here you don't have to worry alright?" I nod "I'm going to go and get a friend; she might be able to help heal those up."

"Ok…"

"Daine I'd like you to come with me please." She stands "We'll be back; please stay here." Obediently I stay put. By now Tao is just watching with all sorts of interest; I stroke the white fox kit making him put his little tail high in the air.

"What happened to you Solaris?" I can tell him…I'm sure.

"Before I came here, I was a slave Tao; I was treated very badly. I tried to be good; I tried really hard to be obedient but even then they would find something to use against me. You're doing it wrong; that doesn't go there…ever since I can remember I've been slapped, kicked, punched, and even caned by someone who was considered my master. Even the guards on patrol would find some silly reason to bash me with the flat of their sword. But I found out I was different from other slaves. Like Miss Daine, I can change into animals but I can do other things too. I knew though that I could use my abilities to escape. The best that I could do though was make a small fire and little by little without anyone knowing I learned how to change into other animals. Since we lived near the sea I had to learn some ocean based animals."

"How did you escape?" the open door reveals Daine, Numair and another woman. They must have been listening for a while now…

"I set some gun powder on fire and used the uproar to get out. I jumped off a cliff and changed into a seagull to get way. Whales carried me to shore the rest of the way. That's how I ended up here. She was nice…Mother Blue, that was the name of the whale who carried me."

"And because you shape shifted you lost your clothes." Daine comes over.

"Yes ma'am…" she combs my matted hair with her fingers.

"All that to escape…" tears well up in my eyes,

"No ma'am…I did it to be free." I correct, "If I had stayed I would have been nothing more than someone's property a pet at best. No one would have ever taught me anything let alone about magic. No one would have ever told me how to us my abilities and still barely scratching the surface on my own…"

"Tell me, little miss, where did you come from?" the new woman asks. Dressed in the garb and protection of a knight her violet eyes dance with a kind yet fierce fire to them. Her red hair, short yet neat, bounces as she comes forth. She seems to be about the same age maybe a little younger than Numair.

"To us slaves, we call it the Badlands; but you probably know it better as Tarshim."

"No one has ever been to those lands; but you escaped?" I nod; her eyes widen causing me to seek refuge behind Daine.

"Try not to scare her too much Lioness." Numair jests. The fierce look calms in her eyes,

"I'm sorry…Solaris was it?"

"This is Alanna she's in charge of Pirate Swoop. If it's alright do you mind if she looks at your wounds?" I nod. She holds her hand out,

"Come with me; we'll go to a different room so you don't feel so… exposed." She's acting so motherly; I can't help but take her hand. She takes me to a bedroom leaving Daine and Numair in the other room. Daine told Tao to stay put until we come back. Alanna asks me to remove the big shirt and I obey. She hands me a towel to cover myself as she looks at the bruises left on my back.

"This may sting a little." Just as she said the sting of her touch causes me to whimper. She moves on to the next one and then the next before moving to the ones on my upper thighs. She's nearly finished when she spots a mark on my shoulder, "Is this a burn scar?"

"It's a brand mark; it's the mark of the royal family. A dragon head." Is there a way she can heal it too?

"I won't be able to completely heal it but I should be able to make it less noticeable." She once again uses her magic to heal some of the scar. When she finishes she allows me to put the shirt back on; with the bruises gone I feel more comfortable. Daine and Numair join us after Alanna retrieves them. Tao jumps from Daine's hands and joins me on the bed resting his head on my leg.

"Thank you." I say to Alanna as she moves closer.

"That mark on your shoulder dear, you said it was from the royal family?" Daine and Numair look at me, their faces covered with worry.

"I was…when I turned 14 I was supposed to become the Emperors' son's new concubine. They only put a brand on slaves if they have something planned for them." There's silence in the room,

"Alanna, if it's alright, I'd like to take some time to think things through." Numair says. Think things through…what are they going to do with me? She leaves for somewhere else. She was nice…

"Solaris."

"Yes ma'am?"

"Let's go get you some clothes ok? You can do what you want afterwards."


	3. Chapter 3

**New Student**

The sun has barely peaked over the horizon by the time I get up. No point in me trying to go back to sleep either; once I'm awake…I'm awake. Tao is still sleeping on the pillow next to me so I try to be as quiet as possible. I finish getting dressed in more appropriate garments: a shirt and breeches along with some boots that I can slip on. To make it easier for me to see, I take my long hair and braid it and tie the end off with a dark brown ribbon I found on the dresser. Tao finally wakes up as the sunrays finally peak over the horizon; he comes with me as I try to get my bearings in this new place. It kind of reminds me of a castle really, with all the hallways and doors. Turning down hallways I find myself back in the room I ate in yesterday. Turning through other halls I find a way back outside in the same place I met Mr. Numair. I remember the encounter I had with the crow and look up. Again he looks at me with beady, angry eyes. He hisses at me once again as a warning,

"Oh please…" I touch his mind, "No one wants what little territory you have." I walk back inside and head for the room before and take a look around; I'm sure I could find something to make something to eat in here, after all Daine did. I set Tao on the table so I'm free to move about. I'm able to find the eggs and the unused slices of ham but no bread. I'll just have to make do with what I have. Now where are the cooking utensils? Soon I'm able to get a fire going and cook the eggs first. After, I place the ham on. I set some plates out and scoop the eggs onto each one. Huh…I made enough for one more…Miss Alanna may want something too. After the ham finishes cooking I place the slices on the plates.

"Can I have a piece?"

"Ok Tao but just a small one." I cut a small piece for him. By now he should be introduced to meat at least. He chews on it bit by bit as he enjoys the cooked pork.

"Something smells good." Numair makes Tao jump into my arms and me tense, "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you." I beam a smile.

"It's ok. I made breakfast. Would you like some?" I bring the plates over as they sit down."What's this for?"

"I just wanted to thank you for your kindness. I know it's not much but I did try my best." There's a knock on the open door,

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Miss Alanna." Rushing I pull her over to take a seat. "I made enough for you too." She takes a seat and I bring another plate of food over.

"What's the occasion?" she laughs.

"Apparently it's a thank you." Daine fills her in.

"Well then…let's just see how good this thank you tastes." Theyeach take a bite of one of the two choices. The look on their faces tells me they like it a lot.

"You're a very good cook little one!" again Alanna sound so motherly…it makes me blush. "But what about you?" I tense up, "You must be hungry too. Haven't you made yourself something to eat?"

"Um…" my face is turning red hot, "I was working hard to make you something I didn't get to it."

"Well we can't have that." Alanna stands "Sit here and eat your breakfast."

"But-" she holds her hand up.

"No arguing. A girl needs to eat a good meal in the morning to keep her going; especially a girl as young as you. Now sit."

"But what about you?" I ask as I sit.

"The thought is more than enough for me." She retrieves new utensils for me to use and pats my head. "I have business I have to take care of anyway; the king himself summoned me. So I can't stay for long." I king? Oh my… She turns to Numair, "The choice is yours. If you can even remember the conversation we were discussing the evening before." She smirks.

"I would appreciate that you don't take such a shot to my self confidence…"

"Numair you are forgetful sometimes…" Daine laughs. He only takes another bite of ham to keep himself quiet. I sneak a piece of ham for Tao.

"Don't feed him too much of that or you'll be cleaning up the after math." Alanna warns before she leaves. It's silent again as we continue eating. I can't even finish all of mine. ( I think I'm still full from yesterday…)

"Solaris."

"Yes Mr. Numair?"

"I'd like to talk to you about your abilities with you." My abilities? "You said you were able to change into a bird to escape."

"Yes sir, I did." I can do it again if you'd like me to."

"Would you mind?" I stand and close my eyes. I focus on the image of that seagull and feel my body begin to shrink. My cloths fall off completely as the feathers continue to sprout.

"Hey you're my size now!" Taos tail swishes back and forth

"Interesting… alright you can change back now." I pick my clothes up with my beak and hide under the table before I change back; it takes a little longer before I finally dress but eventually I come out.

"I've tried to change into other animals but it's kind of hard. I've seen a lot of seagulls so it was easier but other than pictures I've never seen any other kind." I explain.

"I see. What about your other Gift. You set fire to the gun powder when you escaped correct?" I nod, "Do you mind demonstrating it for me?" holding out my hand the blackened copper sparks enveloping my hand and create a tiny, little fire. It's hard even maintaining it. It's already going out. I try holding on as best I can but it goes out.

"That's all I can do. It was hard creating it back then too."

"It's alright, but what you've demonstrated something that I'm quite sure others haven't seen before." I sit back down, "You seem to have a better grasp on shape shifting so I'll start with the that. That is a rare gift; I know of a few others who have this gift but not a much as you. I know of one person who can do what you did."

"Miss Daine." I remember her changing from a hawk to a human. Numair nods.

"That's right. The proper term for it would be wild mage. Now I can tell you are of the same because you exhibit the same abilities she does: communicating with animals and shape shifting. But you also show the abilities of other mages: creating fire of one thing. And I'm sure you tried other things as well. Although you seem to have more difficulty with that. In reality it shouldn't really be possible for you to possess both magic gifts, but some how you've managed it." he pauses for a moment "I think that may be the reason why you're having trouble mastering your gifts. One may be contradicting the other. Now of course there's no way to separate them; they're most likely completely blended together. It could be dangerous and foolish to even try it. But there may be a way for you to-"a loud bell rings spotting the conversation. The ringing echoes throughout the building.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Stay here Solaris." Numairs' tone has changed… They get up and leave their empty plates. The bell continues to sound as I sit alone with Tao. I pick up my furry friend hoping to find some comfort. Soon my ears fill with battle cries and explosions along with a sound of some sort of screeching. Spidrens! But why are they attacking? There's a terrible explosion that causes the ground to rumble under my feet.

"What's going on out there?"

"Solaris, I'm scared." There's a crashing from outside the door and soldiers rush by. Soon though the hall fills with their screams. I hide under the table hoping they don't come in. their creepy legs come into view; I pull Tao closed. They stop.

"I smell another human…"

"Where is it?" my hand keeps me from screaming and crying. "There!" they chase something heading away from the room. I can't stay here; they'll find me. Leaving the safety of the table, I head for the door. No spidrens in sight. I know he told me to stay put but…if I do they might find me. I run for it hoping to find another safe place to hide. My room, if they haven't gotten in there, then maybe I can hide in there. I place Tao on my shoulder to keep my hands free. Peeking around the corner I spot one of the half human half spiders feeding on a corpse. No…what do I do? It's right there I can't go any further and if I try going the other way, I'll run into other spidrens.

"What do we do Solaris?"

"I don't know Tao." I peek out again; the spidren leaves turning turning down another hallway. Ok now! I head in the opposite direction and turn left down another hall and into another spidren. I didn't take a good look before when I first ran into her in the field, but if she wasn't a monster she would be a very pretty blonde.

"Well look here…it's the human child from before." I back away as she spots Tao on my shoulder "Oh and look you still have that little thing with you. I can eat him for desert." Oh now what do I do? Wait… I remember that hall way. If I turn right I'll be heading outside! I just have to get passed her first. My hands hide behind my back as I summon the dark copper sparks. I hope it works. The spideren lunges at me. Now! The sparks flash in her eyes blinding the female. While she's distracted, I rush passed her and head to the right. Soon I hear her chasing me again. I open the door quickly and slam it in her face. Battle cries continue to sound as I catch mere glimpses of the battle taking place. I stop in my tracks, the path blocked by various corpses. The door behind me splinters apart as the spidren exits. She creeps closer and closer towering over me even more. Please someone help! There's a terrible angry screech from above before a crow swoops down and attacks the spidren. Wait is that the same one that attacked me the other day? I touch its mind,

"My turf, my turf, my turf!" yes…it's the same one. He claws and scratches his talons in her face but soon she smacks the bird away sending him slamming into the stone wall. She turns her attention back to me her face covered in bloody scratches. Angry she raises an appendage, ready to strike. A loud roar stops her as she turns to another intruder. A giant shadow hovers over us both before a massive bear charges forward. The spidren backs away; the grizzly bear stands on its hind legs and roars before swiping paw and killing the spidren. The fuzzy brown bear turns to me looking with kind eyes. They crow returns, recovered from the impact and lands on my head.

"Turf ok now?" I'll get you later…my attention goes back to the bear.

"Thank you Tornmätt." I say to the bear god. She returns to being on all fours and walks over to me lowering her head so her diamond white eyes meet mine.

"Do not thank me little cub it was my pleasure." He wet nose touches my forehead before she turns to the crow. "If you attack my cub again you will have me to deal with…" her voice is stern making him ruffle his feathers. She turns her attention back to me, "Say yes to the offer dear one…you won't regret it I promise."

"Offer? What offer Tornmätt?"

"You will see child; you will learn how to use your gifts well and even some things about yourself. Besides he will be a great mentor and she will help you train in the wild magic you possess."

"Do you mean Miss Daine and Mr. Numair?"She looks back at the broken door.

"They are calling for you; you should go to them." Tornmätt turns to leave, "Remember young cub, I will be watching you even though you will not see me." She disappears leaving me alone.

"Solaris!" that was Daine! I run back inside,

"I'm hear! Miss Daine! Mr. Numair!" I round a corner just as they round a different one into the same hallway. Relief shows in their postures as I come over.

"Are you hurt?" my head shakes, more so to get the crow off my head. He still won't budge though.

"Could you please get off my head?"

"Turf is comfy."

"I'm not your turf."

"Peckers stay with turf."

"Peckers needs to stop calling me turf; my name is Solaris."

"Turf is called Solaris; Peckers stay with turf Solaris."

"For Mithros' sake…" Daine able to hear the animal part of the conversation giggles, "Fine…just call me turf…you sea nile bird."

…

The rest of the spidrens were killed and so now all that's left is to clean up the mess from the battle. I help Daine take care of the wounded while Numair went to help take care of the fallen. I asked if he wanted for me to help him but he insisted that I stay with her. I guess he thought it would be better if I stayed around the living. I hand Daine some cloth to use to clean a wound on a soldiers leg, before handing an ointment she's needing. I think this is the fifteenth person she's helped in a row. She must be getting tired,

"Solaris could you go get some more water please?"

"Yes miss Daine." Tao prances behind me as Peckers flies above my head. I can't take on any more pets. Tao is nice and needs someone looking after him; Peckers though is going to be a bit of a handful. I return with a basin full of clean water. Numair is finally back. He looks tired though… I wonder what work he's been doing. "Here you are miss Daine."

"Thank you."

"Do you need anything Mr. Numair?" I ask the tired mage.

"No thank you; but I would like to continue where we left off in our conversation." It takes me a moment to remember,

"I remember… I think you were talking about how I could learn to use my magic."

"Yes that's right…" he takes a deep breath gathering his thoughts, "Perhaps that was a bit of a long explanation earlier…"

"That's ok I didn't mind. I found it interesting." He smiles,

""What I was trying to suggest is that I may be able to help with that." What? "I was able to teach Daine to use her wild magic; I'd be able to help with that. And your other Gift, I'm sure we can find a way to control that as well.

_**Say yes to the offer dear one…**_ Is this what Tornmätt meant?

"I'm a fast learner and I can cook and clean and-"

"Solaris what are you talking about? I'm the one trying to convince you." I feel my cheeks turn pink.

"Please Solaris." I look down at Tao, "They're nice."

"Turf should go. Become better turf." I never really thought that a person or people could take to me so quickly. With my former stature or lack there of… I thought it would have taken some time for anyone to warm up to me.

"What do you say Solaris?" I look over at Daine.

"Does miss Dain mind…?"

"Of course I don't. In fact, it would be nice to have a girl around for a while." I smile slightly. Well…

"I promise Mr. Numair I'll be a good student."


	4. Chapter 4

Camping is Like Paradise

I couldn't wait to leave Pirate swoop but Daine and Numair had to make sure things had calmed down before we could do that. Now today we're heading back to the capitol city. From what Mr. Numair said we'll be stopping by ta small village called Lorn. Although he hasn't said why yet. I don't really have anything to pack so I help either saddle up the horses and the pony that helped me earlier, Cloud. She's pretty nice so long as you stay on her good side. So far I've been able to do so. Finally we're ready to head out. Daine shows me how to get on the horse first before she mounts; once Numair gets on his horse we start off. I hold Tao in my arms while peckers rides with Numair or rather on his horse.

"So how come we're going to Lorn; I mean what's there?" my curiosity gets the better of me.

"Lorn is a village that specializes in breading horses, most of them for the kings knights. We should be able to find you a horse there." Numair answers.

"Why do I need a horse?" he chuckles

"You don't expect to ride the whole way with Daine do you?"

"Who said I mind?" she replies with mischief in her voice.

"W-well I don't want to be a burden Miss Daine; I can pull my own weight."

"Really well that's good to hear. Some days my age catches up to me; I may need you to help out more then." He jests which causes me to giggle.

"Mr. Numair you're not that old."

And you know that how?"

"Well…to me you don't look a day over…maybe 48."

"Oh trust me Solaris, he acts much younger than that when we're under the sheets." Huh?

"Daine! Why on earth would you bring that up?!" um…how come his face has gone all red?

"It's not like she doesn't know have any idea already of what I'm talking about." She smirks.

"Excuse me but what are you talking about?" I ask, "What does that even mean?"

"You mean you really don't know?"

"No sir." A look of concern covers his face, "Mr. Numiar?"

"Tell me, do you even know what a concubine is?"

"Isn't that a servant?" his jaw drops slightly,

"Well…yes in a sense it is but…no it's not."

"I'm confused…is it yes or no?"

"W-well…" a hand rests on my shoulder,

"I'll tell you when you're older Solaris. If you really don't know then Numair is right; you're still a little wet behind the ears to know about that." She turns a kind smile to him, "I'm sorry I brought it up in the first place…" although the blush has faded mostly his cheeks are still a little red. Boy Miss Daine really knows how to make him squirm sometimes.

We stop to eat something and give our backsides a rest from sitting on the horses for so long. Tao and Peckers manage to pass the time by playing with each other. Of course I had to interfere at one point or another to keep Peckers from going too far; eventually he loses interest with the white fox and finds refuge on my head. Tao takes a nap in my lap. I hate waking him up once we're up and getting ready to move again. This time I succeed in getting on the horse myself before Daine gets on. The horses trotting makes us bounce up and down as we continue well on into the late afternoon. We're in the middle of a field by the time Numair makes us stop for the night.

"There you go Cloud; that's the last of it." I say removing the last of the packs that were placed on her. She walks away and begins grazing with the two horses. We go about our business and finally get the camp up and going. I've never seen so many stars before. Taking the liberty, I take my boots off and set them by my bed roll before walking over to the fire and taking a seat.

"Don't get so close Tao; you'll get burned." He paws at the heat curiously; a crackle in the wood scares him behind me, "I told you to be careful."

Numair gives me an apple while the rabbits Daine caught cook on the fire. As I eat the fruit I gaze up at the stars. They're so pretty. Some look blue and some look orange, there's even some that look yellow. Hey…those ones look as though they're making a ladle or spoon. My finger traces the marking in the sky.

"That's the big dipper." Mr. Numair was watching me I guess.

"The big dipper?"

"Yes. Do you see that star right there in the handle?"

"You mean the one shining the brightest?"

"Yes that's right; that's the north star. It's a good idea to know where it is. Many travelers use it as a way to guide them. They can tell where they are by locating that star."

"Oh…"

"If you're facing it you're facing north; from there you can figure out where you need to go. Take us for example, Lorn is located east from here. The north star is to your left so which way do you think we need to go?" I smile as I look up and try to figure it out. Even though it's a lesson I still find it fun.

"We'd go that way." I point behind him.

"Very good." Peckers beak pokes my forehead,

"OW! What?!"

"Apple, apple. Give Peckers apple." I toss what's left to the side and Peckers attacks it like a starving beast. "Sea nile bird…"

"He just wanted the apple?" Numair asks.

"Yes…" I rub the new mark making sure he didn't draw blood. Daine removes the rabbit meat and distributes it among us. Every so often I give a little piece to Tao. Even this meager meal is really delicious to me; although I don't eat as fast this time.

"So when we go to other places, depending on where we're going, we'll be camping like this too?"

"We may not make it to a town in order to find better shelter." Daine answers, "So it may be a little uncomfortable sometimes."

"No ma'am! I was just asking because I like it; this is fun."

"That's right you've never been camping have you Solaris."

"No Ma'am really in the bad lands there's no need to; it's always cloudy there even at night so this it the first time I've seen stars too. They're so pretty." They exchange looks, "Really the ground is soft. To me, it feels really good. It's better than where we were forced to sleep."

"Forced to sleep?" Tao begs me for another piece distracting me,

"I'm sorry I keep bringing things up like that." I toy with Tao holding onto the piece of rabbit as he tries to chew it out of my fingers. Finally I let go and let him have the meat.

"Where did you sleep Solaris?" Mr. Numair asks concerned.

"We were… all crowded into tiny jail cells under ground. A lot of the others were sick because they were never kept clean for us. There was no way anyone could get comfortable; none of us had any space." The memories start coming back, "They would…replace those who couldn't meet the demands but no one ever saw them again." My mind pushes the nightmares away, "But I don't have to worry about that any more compared to that being outside will be like paradise." I smile. Their expressions don't really change just stay quiet. Tao climbs into my lap again ready to sleep for the night.

"You should do the same." Bed time hm… I pick up the little fox and start heading for my bedroll. I wonder,

"I hope I'm not making you feel bad when I tell you things like that…" I get in and cover myself as Tao joins me. Peckers rests by my head ruffling his feathers for a bit before becoming still. There's footsteps that come towards me as I have my back turned. A hand rests on my covered shoulder.

"You don't have to feel ashamed about telling us anything Solaris; nothing will change." I listen to Daine's words without turning around, "It's just…amazing you're so open about your past the way you are. If anything we would have thought you would shut yourself away. You're an amazing girl Solaris; Don't forget that…" she walks way leaving me to fall asleep; I can't help but smile at the words of encouragement.

My mind becomes aware and conscious again; crickets sound along with frogs. It must still be night…if I keep my eyes closed I'll eventually fall back asleep…

"I'm somewhat surprised you said that." Mr. Numair…?

"I guess I understood how she felt; she didn't want us to treat her as some poor unfortunate soul we found. When ma pass and all, I didn't really want anyone knowing I was raised by wolves…it's not easy to talk about things like that…I have to say I admire how she can talk about it without seeming embarrassed or ashamed." Are they talking about me?

"It's only been a few days and you've already grown attached…that's not like you." He laughs,

"And you haven't? I thought you said you wouldn't take on any more students." There's silence then,

"You're right I did say that, didn't I? She seems to have a charm all her own." There's humor in his voice, " but I don't think it was the wrong decision . I really do think I can help her." Come to think of it, it really has only been a couple of days and I've grown attached to them too. They're the first real people I can maybe even call friends. "I want her to stay with us, if that's alright."

"I want her here with us too Numair; you don't have to ask. She's your student."

"Our student. I'd like you to teach her a few things too." My eyes open for only a moment as I smile at their kind words. I was fine with just one teacher…now I have two…thank you Mithros.

"TURF WAKE UP! TURF WAKE UP!" mgh…

"It's too early for this Peckers…go back to sleep."

"Solaris wake up!" I sit up hearing Tao's voice.

"What is it?"

Solaris don't move." Why are Daine and Numair so tense? A growl echoes from behind me. I slowly turn around and meet a loud roar to the face.


	5. Chapter 5

Lorn: part 1

"Tornmatt!" I wrap my arms around the grizzly bears neck. She chuckles,

"Are you awake now young cub?"

"Tornmatt?" I hear Daine ask.

"She's the bear god." I turn my attention back to the bear, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to get better acquainted with the ones who will be watching you from now on; but it looks as though I may know a bit about one…so you are his daughter. He did say I would know right off." She bows her head politely, "It is good to finally meet you Daine."

"You know who I am, but how?" Tornmatt walks over. …I didn't realize she was so big… she can meet Daine face to face.

"The badger told me…"

"You mean that grumpy badger god?" I ask distainfully. It gets a rise out of Tornmatt,

"You're very naughty for saying such a thing about a god young cub." My nose crinkles at her comment, as if I've smelled something gross.

"What did the badger say about me?" Now she has Daine curious

"Nothing bad dear…he just told me you were a bit of a handful." Numair tries to stifle a laugh,

"If you have something to say please by all means let us hear it Numair."

"No it's nothing at all Magelet, honest."

"Of course is isn't…" she gives him a stern look making him quiet completely; although he retains a small smile.

"So this is the man you chose as your mate…let me have a better look." Tornmatt moves closer to him; if he could I'm sure he would shrink. His expression sure says so. But all she's doing is looking him in the eyes…very intently. "You can relax, I don't plan on taking your head any time soon…yes, yes you will make a fine teacher and mentor to this young cub." She allows him to relax, giving him his personal space back.

"Tornmatt you're scaring my teacher." I laugh as I walk closer. Tao asks for me to pick him up while peckers rests on my head. I decide not to tell her of his latest antics. Again, her nose touches my forehead sweetly,

"Now mind your manners little cub and be sure you follow their instruction."

"Yes Tornmatt." She turns back to the two.

"Before I go I do have one request I would like for you to see through." He gaze turns to me before it goes back to them, "Please make sure this cub doesn't get into too much trouble. It seems to follow her path."

"Tornmatt it does not!" I protest.

"If it wasn't for Mother Blue you would have fallen into the ocean; if it wasn't for your two caretakers the spidrens would have gotten you and need I remind you of the tower back in Pirate Swoop?"

"…you make it sound like I'm a bad luck charm…" Tornmatt laughs

"Of course not, trouble just seems to follow you where ever you go." I pout,

"Don't worry Tornmatt," Numair comes over and tousles my hair, "We'll keep her safe." But I'm not bad…and now I have to redo my braid…

"Good…now I must take my leave."

"You're leaving again?"

"I must my cub…I am a god and therefore I have other duties I must attend to. Don't look so sad I will be back from time to time to check on you. That is the task that was given to me and I gladly see it through." I try smiling but it feels forced. As she walks away from us Tornmatt disappears.

"Solaris what did she mean by that last part, about a task?"

"It was originally the badgers task; it was back in the bad lands. I was able to get ahold of the keys and get out of the cell. As I went exploring, I spotted the badger and followed him. Tornmatt was there too. The badger said he was too busy to look after another kit; and for some reason Tornmatt owed him a favor and he told her to watch out for me. That's how I met Tornmatt."

"Hm…I see." I can't help but smile a little

"I'm sorry she scared you Mr. Numair; she's really very nice and kind."

"Now who said I was scared?"

"The look on your face might have given it away." Daine remarks. My free hand helps to keep me quiet from laughing.

"Alright we've had our fun; let's get going. and you," he pats my head for clarification, "You should get ready for your first lesson."

…

Mr. Numair had me start talking to as many animals as possible while talking to some that are far away as possible; at the same time I have to study the animals I do see, memorizing them for later…so I guess this is two lessons in one. The rest of the way to Lorn I've done this and now that we're here he's finally allowed me to stop. It was actually really fun talking to all the animals and even seeing what they looked like. It's a lot better than looking at pictures.

Lorn is actually a small village and I can see some people riding around on horses. Although it's located on a hill so we can only see par of it anyway. Once we reach the top the village is still small but big enough for its primary occupation. We dismount from the horses and walk into town. There's knights mixed in with the citizens walking around and I can't help but stare at some of the people that pass us by.

"Try not to get too far behind." Daine warns me. I catch up with them trying to forget my curiosities for the moment. Some people stare at me as I follow my teacher and his wife; perhaps it has something to do with Peckers,

"Get off my head you seanile bird…"

"Peckers fine; turf is comfy."

"But why my head?" I snap.

"Solaris where are Miss Daine and Mr. Numair?" Tao's right…where did they go?

"Tall man and female gone…turf should pay more attention."

"Turf is about to slap you silly if you don't clamp your beak shut." I warn. He squawks in protest before I turn my attention back to finding them. If only I could see over the crowd…wait a barrel. I might be able to see over the crowd with that. I find a way through the crevices of the crowd and climb onto the barrels nearby. Both Peckers and Tao help me look for them. There they are! It looks like they're looking for me too. Peckers flies over to grab their attention then flies back over to me. I wave my hands frantically to help them see.

"Peckers do good?"

"…Yes Peckers did good." My eyes roll. Numair gestures for me to wait there I am; I watch as they give their horses to the stable boy. Barks suddenly startle me as dogs begin to jump up and down on the barrel; my back makes contact with the wall. One gets dangerously close to jumping on the barrel with me. it scares Tao off my shoulder and into the crowd.

"Tao!" I jump off the barrel and into the crowd to chase after him; the dogs try coming as well, "Bad dogs!" I say running away from them. It makes them stop in their tracks. I'm able to keep an eye on the white fox as he runs passed the Stable Daine and Numair are at.

"Solaris?"

"Tao come back!" outside the village and into tall grass the little fox makes a break for it. "Tao!" I can't see him. Peckers flies into the air and locates him. I find Tao huddled into a little fur ball of white. The instinct to run and hide must have taken over, "It's ok Tao…those dogs won't hurt you." I pick him up and stroke him softly. He finds refuge in my arms as he nestles against me.

The ground begins to shake making me look up. over a hill not too far away a stampede of horses heads towards us. I try to think of something but the stampede comes too quickly; instead I find myself running frantically this way and that. Soon though I trip but only because of someone pulling me to the ground. They make me land on my stomach; Tao hides in the crevis under my chin. Then the person uses themselves as a shield over me.

"Just keep you head down kid!" the hooves pound on the ground as the horses gallop by us. A hoof comes dangerously close to my head; the man improves his shield by placing his head over mine. Soon it becomes silent the only thing I can hear is Peckers Squawking above us. There's a few passing moments before my rescuer let's me up. Peckers immediately goes in for the kill, again using his tallons and beak on him,

"Peckers stop it!" I swat him away, "Go and find Miss Daine and Mr. Numair and tell them where I am!" the crow protests as he leaves. My attention goes back to the man, "I'm sorry and thank you for saving me." a thick band alternating between green and black keeps his bangs out of his eyes which are a deep, deep honey color. The band wraps around dark bark colored hair he's pulled back into a horse tail…it's so long it's kind of longer than mine. Although he's smiling his eyes don't seem to have any life to them; I can't tell what this cute man is thinking.

"You're not hurt are you?"

"No sir." He laughs,

"I'm only 18, I'm nowhere near old enough to be called sir. You can just call me Rahaul."

"I'm-"

"Solaris!" Miss Daine is the one who meets me first and frantically checks to make sure I'm ok.

"I thought I told you to stay put?"

"I did Mr. Numair but then a couple of dogs scared Tao and I had to go get him." he sighs

"Well Tornmatt was right; trouble does follow your path."

"But I didn't know-"

"Go easy on her Kasai Numair. No one could have predicted a stampede." Kasai…Numair?

"How many times must I tell you Rahaul, I would prefer you call me Numair only." I wonder what it means…Kasai…it sounds really funny. A few knights on horses come over to us and stop for a moment,

"Everyone alright?"

"All is well here. What happened though?" Rahaul asks.

"The lock on the was broken something must have spooked them."

"I see…I'll see what I can do about that." In the mean time you better get those horses back; we can't afford to lose anymore." The knights gallop off.

" 'lose any more'? is something wrong?" Daine asks. Although he frowns his expression is still unreadable to me.

"we've had a bit of a problem with horse thieves as of late Kasim Daine; and to be quite honest it's threatening the quality od out work. We're barely making ends meet for quota as it is with the lack of foal born this year. If this keeps up we'll run short." Listening intently my eyes go back and forth between who's talking.

"When did they first show up?" Numair is next.

"About three weeks ago; if you ask me it sounds more like an inside job. Even well trained horse thieves couldn't steal over 300 horses in that amount of time." They must really be efficient if they can steal that many.

"It's a possibility…then the question of asking to buy a horse is out of the question?"

"Unless you're willing to settle for a farm quality horse then I'm afraid that's correct. We can't afford to lose any more."

"No than won't do…"

"Actually…there is one I can offer up Kas- I mean Numair."

…

…This is the horse he's willing to let us take? It's wild! This black horse may have a pretty white mane and tail but that's the only thing pretty about it. rearing back and kicking its legs high into the air, I don't even know if I want to get near it.

"Unfortunately this is the only horse available; as you can clearly see why. She's a bit on the wild side…" She lets off an angry call.

"Daine?" Numair asks.

"she's not listening to me…and forcing her to stop won't gain her trust."

"I'm sorry…I knewit would be a bit of a long shot Kasim." Rahaul says. If they don't get the horses back…then they only have her…mgh. She's scarey…

"I'll see what I can find out about these thieves myself Kasai. I don't want either of you worrying about it. This is our problem. If it's a riding horse you're looking for you may have better luck in Versalls, the town over."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Kasai Numair."

"Rahaul?" he sounds nice buut the undertone in his voice is a bit…annoyed.

"Yes Kasai?"

"How many times have I asked you to not address me as that?"

"Several…forgive me, it's a force of habit. I'll try to be more in mindful of it." he smiles reassuringly (I think) before he turns to me, "So you're his new student."

"Yes sir." He laughs,

"You're very polite but I told you, you can just call me Rahaul." He pats my head, "Don't worry, Numair is not as strict as he may seem to be."

"Please don't fill her with the wrong idea about me…"

"Oh I would never do that Kas- um…Numair."

"Thank you…" ok…what history is between these two? they seem to really know each other well.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this part is really short you guys…but I got finals coming up and haven't had time to really do any story typing…please forgive me. **-_-

Lorn:part 2

Numair and Daine got me my own room at the inn but I'm sure they're in their room talking about the horse thieves. Honestly I'm thinking about it too…that wild horse…the one Rahaul showed us she was but when I peered into her mind…

"Hey Solaris look." Tao looks out the window,

_Hey what's Rahaul doing with that sword? It looks like a claymore…I've seen the guards in the badlands carry them… _

He looks around as if he's keeping a lookout before heading to the stables.

_I wonder what he's up to…_

"Stay here you two." I leave Tao and peckers behind for once and close the door. Miraculously I sneak passed their room and head to the stables. There I peak in on what he's doing. _Hey! That's Numair's horse! What's he doing?_ He pauses from untying the reigns,

"You don't plan on telling Kasai about this do you?" I reveal myself,

"Why are you taking Mr. Numair's horse?"

"Because I don't have one of my own; I don't make enough money for my own. I raise others horses I don't own them."

"That doesn't explain why." His gaze turns to me making me tense,

"This doesn't concern you Solaris; please go back to your room."

"It does concern me; you have no permission to take my teacher's horse. You're stealing and I can't let that happen." I step forward, "You plan on going after the horse thieves don't you?"

"They only come at night and I need a horse to keep up with them."

"You're not going with my teacher's horse!" I stomp my foot.

"A very loyal student aren't you…" my arms fold. He steps forward, closing the space between us. "By all means, if you think you can stop me go ahead." Good point, the claymore is more than enough to tell me he's more than a match for me.

_I can't use magic…I can barely make a fire…._

I turn acting as if I'm going to leave but,

"Mr. Numair-!" A hand goes around my mouth silencing me,

That would be most unwise." Rahaul Pulls me into the stable and out of sight and waits for a moment then pushes me to the side. I get up and rush over to grab the reigns first.

"enough of this…now please give me the reigns."

"No. If you're taking this horse then I'm coming too; I will not let anything happen to Mr. Numair's horse!" He rubs his eyes frustrated.

"Alright you want to come; then you're coming." He takes the reigns and then places me over his shoulder.

"Put me down!"

"Please be quiet; I'm letting you come…"


End file.
